Eduard Tubin stands among the most significant symphonic voices of the twentieth century, a composer whose music draws deeply on Nordic landscape, folklore and myth while speaking with a powerful modern voice. This recording with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Mihhail Gerts explores the formative years of Tubin’s creative life.

At its centre is the Symphony no.2, ‘Legendary’ (1937), a work that established Tubin’s distinctive voice, moving from a mysterious opening through sombre reflection to a fiercely driven finale. Alongside that appears the Suite on Estonian Motifs, his first major orchestral composition, presented here in its first recording.

Completing the programme are two early Piano Preludes from 1926, performed by Mihhail Gerts, offering a glimpse of Tubin at the very beginning of his compositional journey. Together these works trace the emergence of a composer who would go on to become one of Estonia’s most important musical figures.